§7981 Milk Price Support Program

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture must support milk prices in the 48 contiguous States from June 1, 2002, through December 31, 2007, by buying cheese, butter, and nonfat dry milk made from that milk. The support price is $9.90 per hundredweight for milk that has 3.67 percent butterfat. The Secretary must set the same purchase price for everyone selling each product. Prices must let an averagely efficient plant pay producers, on average, at least $9.90 per hundredweight. The Secretary can split the support between nonfat dry milk and butter to lower Commodity Credit Corporation spending or meet other goals, and must tell the House Agriculture Committee and the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee within 10 days after making or changing that split. The normal notice-and-comment rule process (section 553 of title 5) does not apply. The Secretary may change those purchase prices no more than twice in a calendar year. The Commodity Credit Corporation must run the program.